Dancing tap



June 22, 1948. F, J, DU MONT ETAL 2,443,727

DANCING TAP Filed Feb. 11, 1947 INVENToR.

THU@ A rroF/vsy -led June 21, 1946, relating to dancing taps.

Patented June 22, 1948 UNITED STATES PATENT omas DANCING TAB Frank J. Du Mont and Dorothy H. Sargenglhiladelphia, Pa., assignors tov Frank J. D11 Mont, Dorothy H. Sargent, and Joseph E.- Casper, doing business as Du Mont, Sargent and Casper, a copartnership Application February 11, 1947;, ScrialNo. 'l1-27,784

(Cl. 35e-8g3) 6 Claims.

The present application is a companion case of. our oci-pending application, Serial No. 678,494, In thel aforesaid application, there is disclosed a dancing tap comprising a base element, a freely floating sound producing element, and means for locking the sound producing element within the base element. More specifically, the base element may be provided with an overhanging side flange forming a groove, and the sound element may consist of a fiat plate or disc with an extending flange that is freely held within the groove of the base. The base is provided with screw openings positioned under the `disc for attaching the tap to the dancing shoe, and the s component base and sound elements are locked together by means which may be attached either to the base or the sole of the pump.

The above-described dancing tap is characterized by the feature that all screws for attaching the tap to the dancing pump are concealed or held out of contact with the floor or other dancing surface, thereby avoiding marring Said surface by the screws becoming loose and projecting beyond the outer surface of the base member. Further, the dancerI thus saved from embarrassment by having the screws become loosened and permitting the tap to become disengaged from the pump.

The present tapv construction is an improvement over the dancing tapdisclosed in our aforesaid companion application.

An object of the invention is the provision of a sturdy, durable :dancing tap simple in construction and economical to manufacture.

Another object is the provision of a tap which gives the dancer at all times perfect` balance.

Another object of the invention is to improve the sound effects of the tap, make iteasy to tune, 'and more positive in operation.

Other objects relating to features of construction, combination of elements and arrangement of parts are either obvious or will manifest themselves as the description proceeds.

For a full and more complete understanding of the invention, reference may be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a plan View, partly in section, of the bottom of a, tap for theheel of a dancing shoe;

Figure 2 is a plan view, partly in section, of the tap heel member with thesound producing element removed;

Figure 3 isA a sectional eleyation illustrating the ,tap attached to theheel oi the dancing Shoe;

Figure 4 is a bottom plan View of the insert or floating sound producing element;

Figure 5y is a section of the sound element taken, on line 5a-5, of Figure 4;

.Figure 6. is a ,sectional elevation of the tap for the toe of the shoe;

Figure .7 is a bottom plan View. partly in Section, of the.. toe tap; f

Figure s is a section on Athe line .8-8 of Fig ure 7; v

Referring now to the drawings, Whereinlike reference characters. denote correspomiingv parts, it will be noted that our dancing tap is designed to conformeither to the general shape of theheel or the toe of thel shoe, and that with respect to the several modifications disclosed', the two tap members, heel and toe, constitute a mated pair, although either may be usedseparately at the choice` or pleasure of the dancer.

Referring particularly to the modification shown in Figjgures 1 to 4, it will be seen that a 'tap embodying the present invention is essenbase member is to be attached- That iSA to ser,

iov the tac forth@ heel, the base member l comprising the frame 3 is substantially semielliptical in Shape Withthe Vertex ily formed on a radius substantially coinciding with vthe curvature of the heel 5 of the shoe and,- the sides .6 and 1 of the frame being substantially complementary with the sides of theheel 5.v In the case of the tap` for the toe, the frame 3 of the base member l` is substantial-lyl shaped like an isosceles triangle with the apex 8 formed on a radius substantially coinciding with the curvatureof the tip of the toe of the shoe withl the sides 9 and Ill following the general contour of the sides of the tpe. The base or frame 3 of the tap for the 190.8 maybe slightly curved transverselyy on its inner plane surface, as shown in Figure 8, Whcreby it conforms more closely to the contour of theshoe toe.

From the foregoing description.. it will be ob- 'disc Iii. l disc I6 may be adjusted on the base I.

scribed auxiliary or sunk holes I3 for the accommodation of -head screws I4 which are adapted to `engage the bottom surface of the shoe heel or toe (see Figures 3 and 6). By this arrangement, the tap may be rmly secured to either the heel or toe of the shoe, and, as wi-ll be noted, covers substantially the entire surface of said parts.

The sound producing element 2 comprises a relatively thin flat plate or disc I6, which is adapted to be inserted in the opening of the frame 3, and has a configuration conforming to the shape of the respective tap it is intended to be a component part; that is to say, the shape of, the disc i8 for the toe tap is generally triangular and for the heel elliptical. The disc IE is also provided with a taper corresponding to the taper of the base member I, and the t between the sound element y2 and the frame 3 is such that the element 2 freely floats within the base member I, with the edge or perimeter of the former in seating engagement with the flange I2.

The inner or forward portion of the disc I6 is provided with a tongue Il adapted to overlap and register with a supporting shoulder I8, said tongue 4and'shoulder constituting an interlocking hinge arrangement for pivotally mounting the rear end of the disc I6 on the base I. The outer or rear end of the base 2 is yprovided with a threaded recess I9 adapted to receive a set screw 2U. The end yof the set screw 2li is turned down to form a shank portion which is adapted to t loo-sely in an aligned opening 2I formed in the By manipulating the set screw 20, the

This adjustment affords means for tuning the 'tap for sound effects, i. e., the closer the set-ting in turn is governed by the adjustment of the set screw 20, and that this adjustment may vary the sound effects for a considerable range Ibetween zero and the maximum volume. It will also be noted that the fastening screws I4 are juxtapositioned with respect to the outer edge or perimeter of the disc I6, and the seat I2 on the frame 3, so that if any of the screws I4 become loosened through dancing, they can not become dislodged because they are completely covered by the edge of the disc IB, which disc is retained within the fra-me 3 by the above deindependent fastening means consi-sting of the hinge construction at one end and the set screw 20 at the other end.

It may be pointed out here that the depth of the seat I2 from the outer surface of the base member I is apprecia-bly greater than the thickness of the disc I6 so that said disc is normally spaced away Afrom the seat I2, through the action of gravity, when the tap is lifted or removed from the dance floor during the dancing performance. This feature is illustrated particularly in Figure 3. It will, of course, be understood that this vertical movement or play given -to the disc it -Within the frame 3 is such that at no time will the disc extend or project beyond the bottom surface of the yframe 3; also that no adjustment for sound effects is necessary or contemplated by the adjustment of the head screws I4, which is a feature of the tapconstruction disclosed in my aforesaid companion application, Serial No. 678,494. Therefore, the screws I4 may be drawn tightly, thus further avoiding the .possibility of the tap 'becoming loose on the dancing shoe, to the embarrassment of the dancer.

The sound producing element 2 may be provided with a sound chamber 22 consisting of a cavity either formed during the casting of the disc IE or by machining the same after casting. The shape and/or size of the cavity ymay be empirical depending yupon the quality and/or volume of resounding effect it is desired to produce. The principal function of the sound chamber 22 is, of course, to amplify and/or roughly modulate the sound of the disc I6 striking against the seat I 2 when the foot lof the dancer contacts the floor.

While certain preferred specific embodiments of the invention are herein set forth, it is to be clearly understood that the invention is not to be limited to the exact constructions described and illustrated because further modifications as to details and arrangement of parts may 'be made in putting the invention into practice, and it is intended to cover all such modifications as come within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a tap for dancing shoes and the like, an open metal frame base member substantially conforming to the outline of a portion of the bottom of a shoe, an inwardly extending marginal flange formed contiguous with the inner edge of the base frame, said flange constituting a depressed seat provided with screw openings for fastening the tap to the shoe; a sound producing element freely suspended within the frame of said base member and covering the fastening screws; means for locking said sound producing element to the base member, said locking means comprising a tongue projecting from one end of said sound producing element which is adapted to engage a complementary shaped shoulder formed on the inner end of the base member, and a pivotal arrangement consisting of a set screw mounted in the outer edge of the base member and adapted to engage an aperture formed in the sound producing element, whereby in manipulating said set screw an adjustment may be obtained in the suspension of the sound element.

2. In a construction for a dancing tap, an open metal frame base member, said base member comprising a yoke piece having a closed rounded end portion with arms extending laterally there from, the open ends of the arms lbeing closed by a strap-like cross piece having an inwardly extending shoulder portion, an inwardly extending flange formed adjacent the inner vertical wall of said base member, said flange being provided with fastener openings; a sound producing element freely suspended within the frame of said base member, said sound element comprising a disc having a sound amplifying chamber; and means for adjustably attaching said sound element to the base frame, said attaching means comprising a tongue portion and a cavity formed on the vopposite ends of the sound element, the

tongue portion being adapted to engage a shoulder formed transversely of the base member land a set screw adapted to register with said cavity, whereby the sound element is freely pivoted between said pivotal points and adapted to strike said iiange portion when the tap comes in contact with a iioor surface or the like.

3. In a tap for dancing shoes Iand the like, an open metal frame base member adapted to be applied to the bottom of a shoe, and an inwardly extending marginal iiange formed contiguous with the inner edge of the base frame, said flange constituting ya depressed seat provided with screw openings for fastening the tap to the shoe, a sound producing element freely suspended within the frame of said base member and covering the fastening screws, a set screw for locking said sound producing element within the frame of said base member and adapted to engage said sound producing element, whereby in manipulating said set screw an adjustment may be obtained in the suspension of the sound element.

4. In a tap for dancing shoes and the like, an open metal frame base member substantially conforming lto the outline of the heel of a shoe, and an inwardly extending marginal flange formed contiguous with the inner edge of the base frame, said iiange-constituting a depressed seat provided with screw openings for fastening the tap to the shoe, a sound producing element freely suspended within the frame of said base member and covering the fastening screws, a tongue projecting from one end of said sound producing element adapted to engage a complementary shaped shoulder formed on the inner end of the base member, and a set screw mounted in the outside edge of said base member and adapted to engage said sound producing element, whereby in manipulating said set screw an adjustment may be obtained in the suspension of the sound element.

5. In a tap for dancing shoes and the like, an open metal frame base member substantially conforming to the outline of the toe of a shoe, and an inwardly extending marginal flange for-med contiguous with the inner edge of the 4base frame, said ii'ange constituting a depressed seat provided with screw openings for fastening the tap to the shoe, a sound producing element freely suspended Within the frame of said base member and covering the fastening screws, a tongue projecting from one end of said sound producing element adapted to engage a complementary shaped shoulder formed on the inner end of the base member, and a set screw mounted in the outside edge of said base member and adapted to engage said sound producing element, whereby in manipulating said set screw an adjustment may be obtained in the suspension of the sound element.

6. In a tap for dancing shoes and the like, an open metal frame base member adapted to be applied to the bottom of a shoe, land an inwardly extending marginal flange formed contiguous with the inner edge of the base frame, said flange constituting a depressed seat provided with screw openings for fastening the tap to the shoe, a sound producing element freely suspended within the frame of said base member and covering the fastening screws, means for locking said sound producing element Within the frame of said base member, and an adjusting means in said base member adapted to engage said sound producing element, whereby an adjustment may be obtained in the suspension of the sound element.

FRANK J. DU MONT. DOROTHY H. SARGENT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,046,815 Lavoie Dec. 10, 1912 2,168,303 Sothen Aug. 1, 1939 

